This paper discusses characteristics of school organizations and strategies of organization development (OD) consultation as they relate to organizational change in schools. The basic premise of the paper is that any OD intervention in a school should be a somewhat unique series of events specifically tailored to the needs and characteristics of…

In searching for a concept of organization which recognizes its base in human action rather than in objective structure, the author draws on a European tradition stemming from the works of Max Weber. This tradition, combined with examples of organizational life in schools, serves to identify implications for those who attempt to design better…

There are several commonly accepted college and university governance concepts and management styles: (1) the assumption that organizational goals can be precisely defined and that institutional processes are widely understood; (2) the collective bargaining concept, which assumes that there are fundamentally conflicting interests within the…

Little reliable evidence exists, but observers agree that much student-perpetrated violence and disruption is caused by school policy, school procedures, and various types of habitual behavior that distinguish different schools. Focusing remedial efforts on those attributes of schools that precipitate deviant or delinquent behavior is both more…

Changes over the past decade have made teaching a more stressful profession. Stress can arise from public attitudes toward the schools, from a school's organizational structure, or from classroom problems. Strategies for coping with different types of stress are given. (PP)

This article synthesizes research on teacher effectiveness, school effectiveness, and organizational change and interprets what the findings imply for staff development in the schools. Nine research-based themes for staff development efforts are outlined. (PP)

In Singapore, national survival necessitated an early fundamental restructuring of the educational system, followed by a period of fine tuning, or repair. By the early 1980s, Singapore had developed a highly efficient education system that met the needs of a rapidly industrializing economy. Since the mid-1980s' recession, Singapore has redefined…

By redeploying staff members and students so that teachers can concentrate on teaching students rather than "covering" classes, American high schools can reduce class size and foster a more productive learning environment. The "Copernican" reorganization plan features macroscheduling, individualized instruction, accommodation…

Teachers in six rural Saskatchewan schools were interviewed and observed over a four-month period during implementation of core curriculum policy. The least teacher resistance to change was found in schools with the most communication and teacher collaboration and the least direct control by principals. Contains 33 references. (SV)

The Carnegie structure, involving seven-period days and nine different locations daily, is an ineffective system. The Copernican plan changes school scheduling by lengthening instructional periods for fewer and smaller classes. The system should improve teacher-student relationships, lighten workloads, and introduce innovative evaluation and…

Today's calls for school restructuring demand a greater response than piecemeal tinkering. The impetus for total organizational change started over 30 years ago in Japan as industrial leaders adapted W. Edwards Deming's beliefs and strategies concerning psychology, systems, perceptual theoretical frameworks, and causes of variation. Quality…

This paper revisits the literature on the nature of school organizations and presents a view of secondary schools as complex social systems, as opposed to bureaucratic-rational structures. Research was conducted into three Western Australia secondary schools planning to implement school-based decision making and planning procedures. The…

A survey of decentralization efforts of the central administrative boards in Sweden shows that over the past half-century, very little happened until the 1980s. As a result, administrative boards acquired fewer regulatory and more informative, activating, and investigative duties. This paper describes the relationships of three national…

To identify critical postimplementation events and school-related factors that affect the continuation of new classroom practices, qualitative data were collected in 14 elementary and secondary schools representing a mix of settings. Efforts to improve the schools' instructional programs in either basic skills, career education, or citizen…

This document draws upon theory and research about early adolescence and about the effects of middle grades structures and practices on student outcomes. The purpose is to identify specific problem areas and promising innovations that should be considered by policymakers as they establish guidelines for the restructuring of education in the middle…